Henrik,

The first step that I suggest is to amend the rock edging so that it looks less like a 'necklace'. I'd include some bigger rocks and have some of them projecting out into the water - perhaps somewhat like the lower picture -

Click here to see

Thank you Herb!

Yes I know that the bigger the rocks, the better it looks. I had two problems when making this pond

1) I coundn't find bigger rocks.
2) The few ones I found where too heavy ;)

Anyway, now I have found a rock pile in the forrest.. and with some friends I wil try to bring them to my garden ;)

But what do you think about the rest of the rocks? Will it look better if I push them down in the ground... then it will look less like a neckless I think. Do you understand? I will lower them into the ground so that only 1-2 cm is visible above the ground...

Let's talk about plants some other time ok... My first bother is the edge!!

thank you
Henrik

Henrik, Japanese gardens often have a centrally-located pond, so you are off to a good start. Adding paths and plantings is something I would plan. What trees and shrubs grow in your area? Also, although your grass looks well-tended, Japanese gardens don't typically have a lawn...what groundcovers and shrubs grow in your area that could replace the grass?

Thanks for the reply.

Im sad to say this, but I want to keep the lawn. I just don't want so much of it. Right now I have planted grass on my entire backyard. But as you can see in the back there are no trees on my property. If you want more pictures I will be happy to provide it! Perhaps I should present you with an overview picture

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/1594_p21283.jpg

As you can see there is really not much there... Any and all suggestions are welcome ;)

kind regards
Henrik

The rocks should be firmly set into the ground in their most stable position. In addition they should have depth and elevation in 3 directions. Go and look closely at natural formations, pay attention to grain and color.
Work with nature, it is your best teacher.

Okay! Just some additional comments:

Herb: You seem to be an expert on these things. Do you suggest I should remove all the "smaller" rocks around my pond and replace with bigger ones, and also try to add some rocks into the pond itself? I will try, but these rocks are HEAVY :) Please check the attached photo, is that what you want me to do? Make it more irregular and make the stones bigger? Please tell me if Im on the right way!! And if you like please make a rough sketch like that, its enough I think.

bamboo: What do you mean by "In addition they should have depth and elevation in 3 directions."

What I did was that I placed the pond canvas about 5 cm below the ground level and then placed the rocks on top of that. What I want to do is to place larger rocks a bit "lower" than they are now? Is that ok? When looking at the pond I get a feeling that the leckless of stones are to high, almost like a wall around the pond.

/Henrik

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1011604}}

Henrik: Nice of you to say that, but no, I'm not an expert, I'm just a humble amateur gardener! And no I don't suggest you remove all the smaller rocks - only that - as you say - you make it more irregular and make some of the stones bigger.

Also, I think it will help if you can find rocks of varying shapes.

Herb

Henrik, if you can lift up a rock,than that is not big enough!!! Only if you are Arnie Schwarzenegger! 2 or 3 persons or some ramp or work machine, belive me, we tried.
You need only a few of the large ones anyway.

Andrea

Ic... thanks I will try to find stones that big, and hopefully my car will stand the weight ;)

Anyway... if any got any leftover time, please check out the sketch i made...

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/1594_p21283.jpg

If you like, add some plants and pathways as you would like to see it... right now except for the pond, almost my entire garden is just a sea of grass.

Also, I have added an additional picture of some plants I planted. What do you think? This was before the grass came into place... Anything I can do to make it more "japanese"?

/Henrik

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1011605}}

Henrik,

I think you've got a good start, and I like your design sketch :) As Herb says, what you want are are more irregularly sized and shaped rocks, and not necessarily just plain bigger. You seem to have one nice big rock already at the (sort of) near left back of your pond in the picture.

You might also consider placing a rock or two (on bricks or some other supports) as little rocky "islets" to enhance to natural look of your pond.

Moving big rocks is problem essential to Japanese gardening: there was thread here not too long ago under "Moving big rocks" or "Moving heavy rocks" that might give you some useful hints. The general feeling seems to be "Don't lift them; slide them".
(If you can get into the woods at all during the winter) could you take advantage of snow & ice to sledge your rockpile out? Maybe even build a shallow little ice ramp or something to push them up for loading? That won't help with final placement in the garden, of course, but at least you'll have gotten the stones next to your pond. (I'd recommend moving as much of the rock pile as you can, you are very unlikely to wind up with too much rock.)

I disagree with Gardener_KS: some Japanese gardens typically do have small lawn areas. Typically, Kyoto gardens (which are the ones most visted & photographed by westerners) don't have lawns, but Tokyo gardens (which are the ones used & enjoyed by the half of the Japanese population that lives in Tokyo) do have some lawn.

These are not the rolling green plains of english or American lawn, but small green pools just about right for a picnic blanket and maybe a barbeque, or just for gazing at a lovely small pool of green lawn :)

IMHO, you will need many more rocks, trees, and shrubs surounding your pond to give it a Japanese garden feel. There seems to be very large rock (an elemental piece of Sweden, perhaps? :) at the very back left of your photo: this could be the basis & backdrop for a lovely little rockery at the end of a trail that winds past the pond on its way from your house.

You've made a nice start; good luck!

:) Evelyn

Hiya Evelyn!
Thank you for the suggestions. Yes Now I have a pretty good idea on how I should add more rocks to my pond.. both "in" the pond as well as replace some existing ones to remove the "neckless" feeling.

Yes there is a big rock at the side. It is a rock that the digger found in the place he dug the pond. We figured it was a nice touch to place it by the side. It has very sharp edges (from blasting)... im not sure its suitable?

Anyways. Im very inexperienced when it comes to shrubs :( So I have prepared an overview of the current pond + flower bed. Perhaps someone experienced want to take a look at it and "hint" me on where I should place more shrubs, and what kind? I have marked the existing shrubs and trees.

Also, I have a "shallow" area in teh pond with only 4 cm of water. What should I do there? Any particular plants I should place, or should I just add some disorganized rocks?

thanks!
Henrik

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1011606}}

I just thought I should inform you... I have filled my pond bottom with round stones about 1 cm in diameter. Should I use them around the pond as well? Perhaps in the flower bed? As it is now, they are completly contained in the pond, with the "neckless wall" around.

Please add stuff to my sketches... like illustrative explanations. I currently have a lack of ideas... :(

thanks
Henrik

Henrik,
regarding all the remarks about your rocks, perhaps it is wise to remember an important issue: The rocks you can obtain, in Sweden, will allmost often be sedimentairy rock, but mostly heavily eroded and rounded. No sharp edges or jutting points, of fresh volcanic material which can give the traditional Japanese garden its very own look.
I know, living in the Netherlands, where there are no rocks at all. (allmost) All mud, sand and peat.
I think it is wise to keep that in mind. It will always give a special atmosphere to your garden, which can be just a bit "off-Japanese".
To get the idea, you might want to have a look at what a Dutch moss gardener achieved with stones that came from sweden to the Netherlands, transported during the previous ice age: http://home.wanadoo.nl/entoshof/stenen.htm
Good luck,
Leo

Once again I have to say thank you!!! That page was awesome, although the pics are soo small :( But now I understand what it is you want me to do... something like this picture:

http://home.wanadoo.nl/entoshof/FOTO'S/1/vijverlamp.jpg

And I will get rid of my plastic fountain and use this:
http://home.wanadoo.nl/entoshof/FOTO'S/Nieuw/pijp2.jpg

as the main flow to my pond!

Now all I ahve to do is to wait for the spring, and then I will redesign my pond completly

But please use my sketches to suggest plantings around my garden...

/Henrik

Henrik,

If the rock the builder unearthed is sedimentary as Leo suggested, its sharp edges will weather quickly (even after this one winter, it may have a much less "raw" look :). In the meantime, I think its ruggedness serves as a nice contrast to the very rounded rocks you have elsewhere.

The 4 cm deep part of your pond would be a great place for bog and shallow water plants. Around here, however, shallow places like that are often avoided, as they provide great "fishing platforms" for herons and racoons. I don't know what kind of predators might live in Sweden, or if you wish to have fish in your pond, or if you'd like to just buy the very inexpensive "feeder goldfish" at the pet store and watch the show :)

Is there a library nearby where you could read up on Zone 1 shrubs and bog plants* over this winter? If they have an interlibray loan system, they may be able to order books for you from all over the area. You might even find some more on Japanese gardens.
Or you could try Googling them, or you might even help support the economy by buying books :)
(Although Japanese Gardening books may be few and far between in Sweden and Swedish, and the expense of importing them from the UK or US might be a little too much economic help for you to shell out :)

- Evelyn

*The bog plants don't even have to be hardy to Zone 1; you can grow them in pots and overwinter them inside. The shrubs you can't really do that with :)

Hii!!

This is great that so many people are willing to aid me!

However... I have made some sketches with pen & paper today.. and that 4cm shallow area.. I will first add some rocks and stones of different size...then I will let the bamboo rod stick out from teh rocks and the water will flow throw there... as it is now I have a simple fountain... not very japanese ;)

Look, I will show you:
http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1594_p21343.jpg

Sad to say it was much easier to make it look good on paper than in Paint... this is as close as I can get to my paper sketch without having to scan it. Asn you can see I will add a big rock, smaller rocks and stick a bamboo pipe in there.. from that pipe water will flow... I will add some plants and moss on that "mountain".. and then I will make the edge irregular, as we have discussed earlier

Now... I think I have the pond pretty much nailed... BUT what about the closest two metres of the pond??? Should I add additional flowerbeds completly surrounding the pond?? Or should I only stick with the one I have (shown on this pic):

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1594_p21327.jpg

Please feel free to open the photos and sketch your ideas!
I am pretty sure what kind of plants I want, but the main problem is I have no clue how should make the flower beds surrounding the pond... the layout. perhaps someone can make some rough sketches just to point me in a general direction... :)

thanks
Henrik

Hi Henrick,
If you take a look at my link below and go to the pond page you can see I also have rocks in my pond as well as at the edges.
George.

Here is a link that might be useful: George's Japanese Garden

I find that it looks awkward because there's not very much around it, and since you're going to be planting around it I guess that will solve that problem. Just right now it looks as if it was cut and pasted into your yard.

(Personally) I would try to "build up" around the pond visually, by adding taller shrubs and trees around it in similar formations as around the yard to tie it in with the rest of it. Since it's in quite a large (empty) yard, anything small will look rather insignificant. Try bolder plantings of larger shrubs.

These are rather vague ideas, I will elaborate them (with pictures, hopefully) when I am less busy! Hope they help nonetheless.

-Audric

I have had luck in avoiding the necklace effect by simply leaving the rocks out. By using stone in the bottom of the pond you can bring a stone "beach" right out of the water and onto the land. It adds to the negative space in the4 garden and you can make it double as overflow if it's done in the right place...

The picture I'm attaching is'nt the best example (the iris took over most of the beach and this is decidedly NOT a Japanese pond, it's (mostly) natives to our area), but you will get an idea of what I'm talking about (this pond and garden was installed 6 years ago; what is not apparent is because of space constraints I installed it on a 45 degree slope!)

Welcome to the forum, Henrik...

Scott

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1011607}}

bonsai_audge:

I think you are right in your comment... It do looks as if it has been cut & pasted. BUT... the hard part for me is to decide how much I should cut out of the lawn surrounding it and make flower beds instead. You know? If I simply add lots of plands around the pond it will look like a jungle in the middle of the lawn. And that is not the impression I am looking for. I have made up ideas for about every part of my garden, but when it comes to the pond I have none whatsoever.

A sketch would prove very useful to me... describing how I should make the flower bed surrounding the pond. It doesn't have to be very detailed, just the basic layout and shape...

Thanks
Henrik

Hi!
Its me again! I made some new sketches, and now IM trying to show you the result using paint...

This picture is what I have imagined based on your ideas...

* Irregular stones in different shapes and sizes.

* More shrubs around the pond.

* Stones in the pond (have NOO way how I will get them there)

Am I thinking in the right direction??? Please mail or show me your ideas too! MrNorth25@yahoo.se

Oh about the flowerbed.. IM not sure, should I cover it with dirt (the brown in the pic) or cover it with small round stones that I have in the pond??

/Henrik

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1011608}}

Hello! Me again (with no pics again. I promise soon I will have some!)

Just some planting ideas: Plant shrubs in (vaguely) triangular formations (in all 3 dimensions, so plant in a triangular shape, and account for height so that they will form vertical triangles as well), forming a larger formation of 3-5-or-7 triangular formations. The larger formation can also be in a vaguely triangular formation. Don't make the large formation a perfectly equalateral triangle, make it of unequal side lengths. Place the tallest (smaller) formation off-center at the back, and work from there.

Just some (vague, again) ideas. Will elaborate with a picture soon.

-Audric

Gardener_KS,
Please accept my apology. I contradicted you about the presence of lawns in traditional Japanese gardens, and I was wrong.

I was misled by the presence of lawns in currently existing gardens in Japan to think that lawns were part of traditional Japanese gardens, but they are not.

My mistake might be like that of someone concluding that since almost half of the Christmas trees to found right about now in American living rooms are artificial trees, the "Traditional American Christmas Tree" can be either a natural or artificial tree. It cannot. In the opinion of most American traditionalists, the only proper tree is a natural one.

Henrik,
This does not mean that you cant have some lawn in your Japanese style garden, any more than you canÂt have an artificial Christmas tree or use battery lights in your eldest daughterÂs St. LuciaÂs crown. But you should only do these things in the knowledge that they are a break from the tradition accommodating modern wants & needs, and not strictly in keeping with the tradition itself.

Sorry to have misled you (and hoping IÂm not confusing the issue even more).

- Evelyn

Hi Henrik: did you have one of those teachers at school who would try to get you to answer your own question? Or was it an analyst?
What does' Japanese' mean? Evidently what you have now does not meet your expectations but what are they?

Well, I know it may seem like a "shortcut" to write "japanese"... but for me every pond in a japanese garde seem to be designed with much more thought and care than an ordinary garden pond... Thats the look I was after.. The pond I have made now is a standard garden pond I think... so out of place.

/Henrik

ps Sketches are appreciated ;) ds

Henrik [alias Mr. North?],
I have read thru most of this chain and would like to add some comments. Your pond has a fresh, clean, new look and it will take years to have it appear integrated and Japanese in style. Patience grasshopper! The water looks cool and fresh. The fountain adds some "action" to the water but is not typical of a Japanese garden. Some vegetation or rocks around the fountain would give it something to play off and make it seem more a part of the pond. Perhaps a large boulder as an island in the pond would break up the expanse of water and become a companion to the fountain.

I also struggle with moving large boulders and will share my ideas in another mail.

The ring of rocks surrounding your pool is very even. In nature rocks are left as rings around ponds by receding or splashing water. These rocks are of all sizes and tend to be gathered asymetrically at a pond's edge. I would suggest altering the placement to create some elevation so that you have high and low areas. The rocks appear to be pink granite which, in my experience, take a long time to accumulate lichens. You can use "seed" rocks taken from the wild to encourage lichens to colonize.

Try also to trick the eye from seeing the flat, square pond. You could create a peninsula jutting into the pond and place at its promontory a stunted pine or a lantern. Try to hide one of the pond corners with a tall rock or plant such as a local rhododendron or an azalea...seasonal splash of colour, traditional shape and hardy.

The tall tree [maple?] at the back of the pond looks very "western" in style. If possible, try pruning it to give it an aged look. A low-vertical rock at its base would visually anchor the tree to the lawn and connect it to the pond.

To give the pond more visual depth put the large rocks in the foreground and the small ones in the back while trying to break up the even ring of stones lining the pond.

That's all for now. This is long enough. Good luck.
Geoff

Thanks!

It would be awesome if you could make an easy paint drawing! A pic explains more I think... but thanks anyway!

So, these are the issues I will address:

* Make the surrounding edge asymmetrical by varying the types and sizes of stone, and add more of them in the water.. not just at one line surrounding the pond.

* A peninsula... wow, great idea. I will try and make it and cover it with moss, and add a japanese lantern. I have no clue how to make it, since it will be sensitive to water rising. I will post a design sketch later.

* More vegetation and shrubs surrounding the pond!

/Henrik

Hello again. Now i have spent an hour with pencil and paper... and then tried to bring that sketch into the computer ;) Please check the link below and tell me what you think. its the overall design and shape that needs commenting. Is the peninsula placed natural???

/Henrik

Henrik,
I don't know how to post a sketch but yours looks pretty good. I like the bamboo pipe and the new assymmetry. The peninsula makes the pond more natural [in the sketch].

You were saying that the pond looks a little out of place. I don't know how much earth moving you want to do but you can break up the space between the pond and the far forest to create "unknown distance". Place several long mounds, one behind the other about 1/3 of the way between the beech tree and the forest. These will look like distant rolling hills and prevent the eye from travelling directly from the pond edge to the forest. The large grey rock in the background has potential to be a distant mountain [maybe Mt. Fuji?]. Simply disguise its base with some small leaved vegetation and accent its triangularity.

The 2 tufts of grass near the rock to the left catch the eye quickly. I think that you should add a third [uneven number = more natural] or put them together in one clump and place a triangular stone of the same material at their base [long edge away from the planting and short edge towards]. All rocks should look as if they are 2/3 buried in the earth unless the newness of the stone is its feature.

Geoff

Hi!

Thanks so much.

About sketches. The easiest way is to open Paint or whatever drawing program... and then simply to mail me the picture. MrNorth25@yahoo.se

About the "turfs of grass"... they are two 1 m tall japanese muscantis grass! Im sorry that the pic looks deceptive. Its not 3D... All green circles are shrubs or plants, not grass. All except for the peninsula wihch is mostly moss.

domo agigatou gozaimasu
Henrik

Henrik,

I like the new sketch! And Geoff's suggestions, too :)

One more idea: I think you need a fence. Your photo shows the area surrounding the garden as "land, lots of land, with starry skies above" :), which would be great if you wanted an American-prarie style garden, but you don't :)

A solid fence separating your garden from the rest of the world, or a lighter bamboo-rail "four-eye" fence defining the pond area, or (ideally) both, would give you a sense of enclosure and separation from the rest of the world.

This would enhance the "Japanese feel" of your garden in two ways. First, Japan does not generally have wide open spaces, and every garden in Japan that I can think of is fenced in some way. Second, what's outside your garden is Sweden, which is very nice, but not very Japanese :)

Fences cost a bit, I know, but this really might be well worth the investment.

- Evelyn

Evelyn and Henrik,
Hmmm, I was thinking a fence would add enclosure. Were you thinking an open fence or a closed one?

A closed one would block out Sweden and make the garden a quiet contemplative space From the outside the pond garden would look very structured but from inside it would have the private quality of a monastary courtyard; inward looking and focussed on the immediate surroundings. Functionally speaking a closed fence would create a trap for cool air allowing the first frosts to come early to the pond.

An open fence will allow the view behind the pond to be seen but through a Japanese garden template. A low open fence would allow air and sunlight into the pond garden.

The building of a fence would be the beginning of the garden speading its influence through your yard. You could then put an "s" shaped stone path to the pond garden entrance with a low water basin outside a small, elegant gate opening unto your little, secret world. The stone path may be a good idea, even without the fence. It would gradually lead the eye from the openness of the lawn to the pond. Right now there is no gradual transition from Sweden to Japan.

There are many styles of fences. I get my inspirations by looking at pictures of gardens in Kyoto. What I like best is a rustic regularity and a "form follows function" approach to enclosing space. A simple flat 1x4 paling fence can be given Japanese character by adding a 2x2 picket between each paling and cutting the picket an inch or 2 higher than the paling. In Newfoundland we have a style of picket fence made from spruce saplings nailed criss-cross to rails to create a many-triangled fence. These fences have a rustic, practical look very fitting to a Japanese theme. They can have curved or flat tops. Some people peel the bark off while others leave it on for an aged look.

I would try an L shaped, open fence starting around the large blasted rock and going back behind the beech tree and across at 90 degrees behind the pond. This may block the view of the large grey boulder to the left and behind the pond. What is the distance between the pond and the treeline at the rear?

I have re-read my earlier postings and would like to say I am offerring suggestions as ideas. EMail doesn't provide the opportunity to gently interject or say "what about...". I am an amateur who has studied Japanese gardens from resource materials. I have read 20 books but only toured 5 gardens. They are not very common in Canada.

Incidentally, you were thinking of adding moss to some rocks. In most places moss would need shelter from the sun so you may need a shrub or tree to provide shade to your moss. As an alternative you could consider a low growing shrub such as grows on barrenland. I can only give you the local names but Bearberry, partridgeberry, crackerberry, blueberry and some native rhododendrons stay close to the ground and resemble moss. I can't look up latin names as I am at work right now. They also grow in thick mats that can be easily transplanted and will survive if a large enough piece is used [ 1/2 meter square].

It is beginning winter here so I guess everything is good and frozen in Sweden now. I have bought a new house and just moved. The yard has great potential. My last house was on a 3/4 acre lot between a bog and a pond, with a small fruit orchard and some poplars. Ohh, the things we do for love!

IKEA!
Geoff

Merry Christmas!

Hi Henrik.
Happy new year to you and rest of posters.
You quickly become very popular guy.:):):). You use magic wrods oftten and responded quickly to those who has kind heart . That made big differnce. I hope you can have enough informations to achieve your garden.....yama

Well, soem peopel probably consider me a pain, asking all these questions and posting all these pictures... but yeah, these forums are great :)

NOW, i have yet another question. I recently bought the book "creating your own japanese garden" and I loved it. I was wondering if you japanese gardeners could recommend some other good books on the subject. I like these "hands on" books... where the author describes HOW and WHY he is doing things... many authors tend to avoid the real problems and explanations. Please some tips on good books useful for the "home gardener". Aspecially books that talk about ponds, pathways and garden gates!!!

/Henrik

Hi Henrik!

I have never posted in this forum due to fear of being prosicuted for not complying with the strict Japanese Gardening "rules". I have read 5 books on Japanese gardening and have read almost every article I can find on the internet and have concluded a 100% Japanese Garden was not obtainable for me. My garden is more of an Asian Fusion, Although Japanese gardens are quite beautiful they do have a limited scope especially for people that have Non traditional needs. I have two Labs Boomer and Lucky who both love the water :) (reason for building a pond!) I also wanted to have a yard with some grass (not typical of Japanese gardening), the stones I used in building my pond are field stones the books all say to use naturally occouring materials (as filed stones) but say to make sure the stones are smooth to encourage tranquility, the filed stones are not necessarly smooth yet breaking another "rule".

Your questions and your post have been quite bennificial to me as I was in the same situation as you. I too have a pond (35feet x 27 feet around 9-10 thousand gallons) that had a "neclace" of rocks around the pond.

For Christmas I got two large rocks (2500lbs and 800lbs).
You can see in this picture the difference the rocks have made to the pond. I did have one fairly large rock already in place and now the three large rocks form a triangle as required by Japanese Landscape rules.

[Click any image to make larger]
Before Pictures


{{gwi:1011618}}

After Pictures (today)


{{gwi:1011619}}

2500 lb rock


{{gwi:1011620}}

800lb rock


{{gwi:1011621}}

I wish I could have gotten the rocks closer or even in the water but due to their weight it was hard enought getting them to the location they are in.

Oh yea,.. before anyone yells at me about the "Torri" gate,.. its not a torri gate,.. does not have a center key.

I do appreciate all the wonderful Japanese and Japanese inspired gardens I have found in this forum =)

Don

Hi Don;

I wish I got some stone for Christmas... hard to put that on my Amazon wish list.

You put a lot of hard work into your garden. Great pics with much detail on dimensions and amounts.

Don't worry about the critics. No one can lessen your garden without your permission.

I used to live in your neck of the woods. One thought (not a criticism). Any thoughts of of incorporating some shade when the delta breezes fail to blow? An arbor perhaps with wisteria and/or clematis???/

Again, good job.

Michael

Thanks Michael!

I do have some Wisteria planted on the fence side of the Faux Torri Gate, and Jasmine on the other side.

I would like to make an arbur but don't know where I would put it? I will be building a "tea house" or resting area between the two "mountians" this spring/summer.

I have also planted some clumping bamboo that will grow in and hopefully give lots of shade by next spring.

I welcome and encourage suggestions, but don't want to take away from Henrik's post.

Here is the picture of my dogs arn't they cute =)
[Click on Image to enlarge]


{{gwi:1011622}}

Don

Thats an awwsome pond! I really like thatlast pic wiht the dogs... it really show a natural pond edging wiht lots of stones both in and surrounding the water!

I noticed you used mainly sharp edge rocks? Here in my landscape we have mostly rounded rocks... Although you can find some rough rocks covered in moss in the pine forrests... But not enough to fill an entire pond...

And im not sure its a wise idea to blend heavily rounded rocks with sharp mosscovered rocks... better to stick wiht one material.

I wish we had those lovely japanese granite or lava rocks... they are really a perfect mix between round and sharp.

Thanks for the pics and the inspiration!

I was just thinking, perhaps you should add some more plants surrounding the pond?

Henrik

Hello again!

I started my paint shop pro program, in order to show some decent pics to you! Enough with the paint sketches.

Tell me what you think of this one! I used a stone tube with stones similar to the ones we have in sweden!

Tell me what you think!

Nice sketch! I think the pond needs a beach, preferably where you can see it from the house. The rocks look too uniform in placement. I think it should look more 'lumpy'.

It seems as if you are designing from above when you should be making design decisions while sitting on your porch right in front of your windows. Or inside looking out at the pond this time of year. The beauty of that is that you are in one place making the design decisions rather than from above or out in the yard in various places which can get confusing very fast. The place in which those decisions are made is what I call the 'Captain's Seat'.

Sitting down at the table with a cold beer or two (Not now!) you can see that you don't want to hide the water from your Captain's seat.. The pennisula will come out an an angle that you can see it from where you sit. Nothing should block your view of the water! Your path to the pond can be a wide, swerving, narrowing path of grass to give the illusion of distance. Don't make it too swervy or it will come out as too 'busy'. Keep the lines clean. Imagine it as a stream flowing to the pond. Put groups of rocks on the points intruding into the 'stream' and low shallow plants in the 'bays'. The rocks will lead your eye to the pond and not make it so isolated and different from it's surroundings. Group the rocks so they look like they 'belong'. Round rocks next to water is a natural thing. Sharp edged rocks are usually associated with mountainous outcroppings and ridges.

Hope this helps as a beginning.

thanks for the ideas!

Im curious... do you all think there is too much stone? On the sketch, if you compare that to my original pond pic in the first post, you'll see that I have added 2-3 times as much stone as it is there... both smaller and larger ones..

/Henrik

Hi Don, I love your dogs, they bring back fond childhood memories. I had a golden and Black Lab and they too loved the watrer.

If I may, I would suggest you stabalize the base of your lantern. Maybe a large flat stone or create a solid dirt surface with low ground cover for it to rest on. Right now it looks unstable and makes one feel tense and I know you want tranquility. Your garden will grow in beauty as it matures and I know all about hauling field stone. :) HARD SWEATY WORK!!!!! And I also know how much work it must have been to create your water garden and you should be very proud of what you have achieved thus far. Enjoy and please continue to share photos as your garden matures.

And Henrik I do think there are too many stones in your latest sketch, sometimes less in more if you know what I mean. Also if there is a way to have some areas with no stone up to the waters edge, perhaps with iris or low groundcovers or mounded plants to hold back the soil it would look more natural.

Have fun with your gardens!!!!!!!

Cheers Jando

Now I have completed another sketch.... Although I imagine I can't find as many "big" stones as I ahve in this pic, it still gives a good overview design. As you can see I ahve lighten up the edges by using small cobbles as the base, and then add bigger stones in an irregular pattern... and in the area to the front, there are almost no big stones at all at the shore...

I ahve also added two flower beds to the pond, that will symbolize forrests... and the area where the lantern is, will be a mountain.

Please comment the pnatnign as well... too many bushes and shrubs???

kind regards
Henrik

Hello Henrik,
Nice work. I like the new sketch. Your pond is taking on a serene, Japanese appearance. I agree that less stones is better, especially with the small beach at the south [lower in picture] end. The surplus of stones made the pool look as if the water level had receded.

Jando suggested a base for your lantern and I think that would be good to make it stable in practice and appearance. It may also provide a surface to start some moss or lichen or maybe place a seasonal favourite plant for a spark of colour.

To complete the pond you might consider enclosing a corner in order to integrate it into the expanse of lawn. A non-enclosing fence behind your tree would suggest enclosure yet not trap cold or snow. Think about an "L" shaped fence 4 feet high and 7 feet long on one side; 5 on the other. Debarked spruce rails tied with hemp rope to a trio of spruce corner posts would make a rustic but strong fence.

I like what you have already and I am just playing with ideas as your sketches bring them to mind.
Geoff